The present invention generally relates to devices for use by infants, toddlers, and their caretakers to assist the child in holding objects, such as toys, pacifiers, and eating utensils.
It is well known that infants and toddlers often drop objects, such as pacifiers, eating utensils, and toys, from their hands, whether purposefully or by accidentally losing their grip due to their underdeveloped manual dexterity. This dropping of objects to the ground typically necessitates cleaning the object before it can be reused, particularly objects intended for placement in the child""s mouth. It is not uncommon for the dropping and cleaning process to be repeated often, much to the irritation of the child""s parent or other caretaker. There is also the risk that the dropped object can be lost or otherwise irretrievable.
There are several known examples of straps that can be used to attach pacifiers to infants"" clothes, or toys to a stroller, shopping cart, or high-chair, to prevent the attached objects from falling on the ground. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,571. These straps, however, disadvantageously are designed to be used with a very narrow range of objects. Indeed, pacifier straps are limited to the sole purpose of securing a pacifier to an infant""s clothes. As for straps meant to attach toys or other objects, their use is limited to objects with a ring or a handle-like feature around which these straps can be fastened. See, e.g., U.S. Pats. No. D426,699 and No. D337,133. Such straps are not suitable to attach other small objects that infants place in their mouth such as spoons or food items that infants teethe on. It is highly important that such objects do not fall on the ground, as they need, for the infant""s safety, to remain unsoiled.
Another shortcoming of known straps is that they cannot be adjusted to any given length within the F963-96A ASTM requirements for cords and elastics (xc2xa74.13). These requirements also limit the range of supports to which these straps may be secured.
Other gripping devices, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,515, also are relatively complicated and not readily adaptable to a variety of objects and attachment points.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an easy to use strap device, which is readily adaptable to secure a variety of objects, particularly toys, pacifiers, and utensil, to a variety of locations for use by small children.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.
An improved strap device is provided for holding objects commonly held by infants and for preventing the object from falling to the ground if dropped by the infant. The primary advantage of the present strap device is that essentially any commercially available baby spoon, regardless of size and shape, may be attached to the device and that a wide range of other objects that are commonly used by infants, such as pacifiers, teethers (i.e. teething rings), rattles and toys, may also be readily secured to the device.
The strap device includes (a) a slender, flexible strap having a first end and a second end distal the first end, (b) a first securing means integral or attached to the first end, (c) a second securing means integral or attached to the second end, (d) a first attachment means mounted on the flexible strap near the first end, (e) a second attachment means mounted on the flexible strap near the second end, wherein the first attachment means and the second attachment means each can be releasably secured to at least one position on the flexible strap, thereby forming a primary loop. The strap device preferably further includes third and fourth attachment means mounted on the flexible strap between the first attachment means and the second attachment means, wherein the first attachment means, the second attachment means, or both can be releasably secured to the third or fourth attachment means. One or more of the attachment means preferably are hook-and-loop fastener means, such as VELCRO(trademark), although other attachment means such as snaps, clips, and clamps can be used.
The first and second securing means preferably are elastic loops, and desirably can be sized such that the first elastic loop of the first end has an opening through which the second end, second securing means, and flexible strap can be slid to form an adjustable loop. The length of the strap device should be less than 30.5 cm when the strap device is secured to the object, the child, or the nearby structure by means of the primary or adjustable loop. The flexible strap preferably has a width between about 0.5 cm and about 5.0 cm. The flexible strap optionally can include one or more decorative images.
These securing means, primary loops, and adjustable loops are used to secure the object to the child or nearby structure. By securing one end of the strap device to a support near the infant, such as a high chair or a stroller, and attaching the object for the infant to use to the other end of the device, the object may be dropped by the infant without falling on the ground. The object remains attached to the device and hangs from the support to which the device is attached. The strap advantageously eliminates the burden of having to pick up and clean a spoon or a toy every time the infant drops it. It also provides the infant with continual entertainment, as he or she can retrieve the dropped object, attached to the device, by simply pulling on the strap device.